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Final Fantasy XII: The Zodiac Age - coming to PS4 in 2017!

The wait has been long, but the time has finally come! Final Fantasy XII has finally been confirmed for an HD rerelease, and it's the Zodiac Job system version!

The announcement came in the form of a teaser trailer (linked below) that showcases the game's improved HD visuals. The characters and environments are looking better than ever!

According to various sources (neogaf forums), we can expect more than just a simple graphical update. As this version of the game will be based on the Japan-only International Zodiac Job System release, we can expect all of the extra features from that game, including a Job System, turbo mode, and a choice between Japanese and English voices, both of which are getting enhanced for the HD version. The soundtrack is also getting a remaster (is this what Arnie Roth spoiled us on?), and you will be able to switch between the original and rearranged soundtrack, just like in FFX HD for PS4 and Steam. We can also expect the usual upscaling of FMVs, shorter loading times, and an auto-save feature.

For now, the only platform given is the PS4, but fans are already talking about a Steam port in the future. Though I'm personally disappointed this is not heading to a handheld as well, this news is still great!

Well the Seitengrat, Trango Tower and Gendarme, the invisible trio, are all stupidly rare. But they all break the game anyways so you might as well pretend they don't exist and move on with your life.

Besides that I'd say it's similar to but overall slightly better than the original. In regards to equipment like Grand Armor and Helmet that was just utterly stupid to farm in the original game, now you can get at least one of each reliably through treasures in the toughest dungeons. There's a reliable not-bulltrout way to get one Zodiac Spear and Zodiac Escutcheon which is much appreciated. Getting the new best gun in the game pretty much necessitates farming the hardest regular enemies in the game, but at least the drops you need aren't frustratingly unlikely. The Tournesol is still the same as it always was.

Besides the Seitengrat nightmare, are the best weapons still annoying to get, or have they even made them worse?

Many of the "best" weapons have been made a bit easier to obtain now, mostly because the game created new "best weapons" and they get the BS requirements to obtain though in most cases they just take the requirement of original. For instance, the Durandal could only be obtained through the bazaar in the original, but the IZJS version made it a treasure and rare drop, whereas the new upgraded Durandal A sword now has the bazaar requirement.

So yeah its easier to obtain the original games uber weapons but only because the game introduced a whole slew of new "ultimate" weapons. Not to mention stats have been altered so some weapons are not nearly as good as they were (Zodiac Spear) while others have been improved like the Treaty Blade which now has decent stats for a starting great sword.

It was the International version of FFXII that Japan got after the U.S. release. It also featured many elements that were planned for XII that got cut due to time constraints. The most obvious one being the Zodiac Job system. Basically instead of one massive License Board with all abilities on it, you got 12 smaller ones, with each representing a Job Class like White Mage or Knight (the boards are shaped like Zodiac signs, hence Zodiac Job title) and you could only choose one for each of your characters. The game also added a few new items, changed around the treasure and drop rate systems, as well as giving you the ability to customize the gambits of Espers and Guest party members. Also the Quickenings are now their own bar, and no longer attached to your MP like the original.

The game also had a challenge mode where you can battle a 100 different bosses/Mark hunts and there is a speed up button like Chrono Cross. The Zodiac Jobs are the biggest change but the game has a lot of refinements as well over the original. It will be interesting to see if this version is just an HD remaster of the International version of if SE plans on adding in other mechanics or changes. I kind of feel its unlikely due to the games original director and producer being more of a supervisor role.

So essentially it changes it from an FF10 type system to an FF9 type system?
I can live with that.

I guess the only really new information there was the two turbo mode speeds and the map overlay (which is pretty cool btw). Mostly just recap of original FF XII and IZJS changes.

It also looks as though the spell & spell queue system has been revamped a bit, as the Thunder spell hit all enemies at the same time instead of one at a time, and Scathe and Flare can apparently be cast concurrently now?

I guess the only really new information there was the two turbo mode speeds and the map overlay (which is pretty cool btw). Mostly just recap of original FF XII and IZJS changes.

It also looks as though the spell & spell queue system has been revamped a bit, as the Thunder spell hit all enemies at the same time instead of one at a time, and Scathe and Flare can apparently be cast concurrently now?

Scathe and Flare are both high capacity spells; you wouldn't be able to cast them both at the same time normally. That does imply that the spell queue is either different, or removed completely.

Have they shown anything other than the Bhujerba mines yet? (I think that was the place?)

Be interested to see how some of the bigger environments look in HD. It was the locations in this game that made me remember it fondly. Rabanastre, Balfonheim, The Sandsea, The Phon Coast. I haven't played it for a decade but I can remember the layout of all of these areas still.